Fifteen years ago the face of the Boston Bruins franchise changed for the better. They drafted a young kid out of L’Ancienne-Lorette, Quebec, from the Acadie -Bathurst Titan of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. His name is Patrice Bergeron, and it is time for the Bruins to give him the Captian’s C.
By the Numbers
In his rookie year, right away he brought an impact to the Bruins lineup. He played in 71 regular season games and seven playoff games, accumulating 43 points altogether. For a rookie this was certainly a step in the right direction to establish a solid career. He certainly did not disappoint Boston’s passionate fan base, who eat, sleep and breathe the sport.
Following the lockout year, Bergy capped two consecutive 70 point regular seasons, despite Boston missing the playoffs both years. Bergeron’s 2007-08 season lasted just ten games following a nasty hit from Randy Jones, in which he suffered a grade three concussion and a broken nose.
Bergeron eventually returned to the form that Bruins fans became accustomed to. He tallied 250 points in the four seasons post injury as the boys in Black and Gold qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs every year before 2012. Of course as fans remember the penultimate accomplishment in that span was bringing Lord Stanley back to Causeway Street for the first time in 39 long years.
In the last six years we have seen 377 points from #37. Accompanied by four trips to the postseason is another trip to an unforgettable Stanley Cup Final in 2013. Boston rallied behind the Bruins following the terrible events on what is now Patriots Day,
Out of a Bruins Jersey
A World Junior Championship Gold Medal, World Championship’s Gold Medal, World Cup of Hockey Gold Medal, two Olympic Gold Medals, and a four time Frank J. Selke Trophy winner (nominated in 2018 for the seventh consecutive season). Bergeron is also the only Bruin in the top 20 of the NHL’s most popular jersey sales.
The Bruins’ front office extended Chara’s contract for another year, which marks his 12th year wearing the spoked B as well as the C. However, it has become a little worrisome for fans who don’t know how much Big Z has left in the tank. With that being said, it is certainly going to be soon that we see Chara hang up his skates. It would certainly benefit a lot of people to see a shift in leadership before the big man is out the door. Bergeron continues to lead by example for the Bruins. The effort and determination shown by him every single day to be the best player possible rubs off on those around him, and it certainly shows as he makes those around him better in all aspects of the game.